A clinical study of emergency room visits for oral and maxillofacial lacerations

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study investigated patients with oral and maxillofacial lacerations who visited the emergency room over a three-year period in an effort to determine the optimal treatment for these injuries.Materials and MethodsThis study examined 1,742 patients with oral and maxillofacial lacerations with 2,014 different laceration locations who visited the emergency room of Pusan National University Hospital (Busan, Korea) over three years, from January 2011 to December 2013. Patients were classified by sex, age, visit day, cause of injury, injury site, and the presence or absence of soft tissue and tooth injuries.ResultsThe male to female ratio was 2.50:1. Patients under 10 years old were seen most frequently. Most emergency room visits were on weekends. Among intra-oral lacerations, the lip area was the most vulnerable site; among extra-oral lacerations, the chin area was most frequently injured. The most frequent etiology was a slip down. Most lacerations occurred without bone fracture or tooth damage.ConclusionLaceration may differ in large part as compared with the fracture. Therefore, it is necessary to continue collecting data on oral and maxillofacial lacerations to establish optimal emergency room diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Epidemiology of maxillofacial soft tissue injuries in an oral emergency department in Beijing: A two‐year retrospective study

“…In the study by Manodh et al, 3 lip injuries accounted for 45% of maxillofacial STIs. In Korea, lip injuries accounted for 34% of maxillofacial lacerations, while among extra‐oral lacerations, the chin area was most frequently injured 8 . In this study, the lips were also the main injury site, followed by the chin.…”

“…In reports of more traumatic activities, the male‐to‐female ratio is higher. In reports on STIs, the ratio of males to females is relatively low, such as Park et al 8 (2.5:1), and Gassner et al 9 (2.1:1). In the current study, the average ratio was 1.81:1, which was lower than the ratios reported in other studies.…”

“…Oral and maxillofacial trauma is classified into facial bone fractures, dento‐alveolar trauma, and soft tissue injuries. As different studies focus on different aspects, the etiology and epidemiology vary widely 7‐9 . The aim of this study was to assess trauma patterns in people with oral and maxillofacial STIs and the characteristics of maxillofacial STIs in one of the two 24‐h public emergency oral centers in Beijing, China, and to recommend some public policy interventions.…”

“…Park et al believed that lacerations among those under 10 years old were often minor injuries caused by parents or by the patients’ own carelessness. 8 With age, the rate of trauma caused by sports, violence, and traffic accidents increases 9,15 . Gassner reported that the occurrence of sports injuries peaked in the second and third decades.…”

“…In different studies, the proportion of injuries at each site is different, but the lips are always the most commonly affected site. Because the lip area is a protruding structure and is near hard structures (i.e., teeth), it carries a high risk of injury and it is the most easily perceived area of intraoral lacerations at the time of the initial diagnosis in the ER 8 . In Malaysia 16 among STI, the rate of lip (including the lip mucosa) injuries was as high as 62%.…”